Packing-ring retainer



E. H. MARKLEY PACKING RING RETAINER Filed Dec. 5. 1928 March 31, 1931.

INVENTOR. ZHMazJ: 26

H1}? ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 31, 1931 urrsn STATES PATENT oFFIcE EDWARD H. MARKLEY, OPEEEASTOIE, PENNSYLVANIA, AESIGNOE TO INGERSOLL-RAND COMPANY, OF JERSEYCITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY PACKING-RING RETAINER.

Application filed December 5, 1928. swarm. 323,952.

This invention relates to tube packing and more particularly to aretainer for packing rings in the tube sheet of a condenser, boiler,evaporator, or the like. In devices of this nature, and particularly inevaporators and in condensers where salt water is used as a coolingmedium, it essential that there be no leakage of fluid through the tubesheet and accordingly considerable attention has been directed towardsthe provision of an efficient packing between the ends of the tubes andthe tube sheets.

Heretotore it has been customary to thread a ferrule into the tube sheetaround the tube end but this operation has the decided disadvantage ofbeing costly and laborious. Accordingly, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide a packing ring retainer that is inexpensive tomanufacture and which, at the same time, may readily be positionedbetween the tubes and the tube sheets to prevent leakage past the tubesthrough the tube sheet.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a retainer thatwill at all times remain in position against the packing and which mayreadily be tightened should occasion demand it.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an effectivepacking means for tubes that will permit the tubes to be positionedclosely together to present a greater condensing 0r evaporating surface.

lVith these and other objects in view, which will more readily appear asthe nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists inthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be morefully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, like characters of reference are employed in all of theview to designate like parts throughout, and;

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken vertically through the tube sheet ofa condenser, boiler or the like, and

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 22 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the tube sheet is shown at 10 and thissheet is provided with a plurality of tube holes 12 adapted to receivethe ends of the tubes 14. Each tube hole is recessed as at 14 andsuitable pack i ing material 16 is inserted in the recesses between thetubes 12 and the sheet 10 to prevent leakage of cooling fluid past thetubes.

In order to compress the packing and retain the same firmly in positionbetween the tube sheet 10 and the tubes 12 there is provided a pluralityof split retainers 18. These retainers are formed of sheet material.They are rolled into cylindrical form to fit over the ends of the tubeand are of somewhat smaller diameter than the recesses 14'. Theseretainers are adapted to take the place of the ordinary threadedferrules that screw into the tube sheet around the tubes. Each of theretainers 18 is split as at 20 to allow for expansion of the tube andeach is provided with a plurality of spaced resilient ears 22 formed bycutting or punching the blank material. The cars have laterallyextending portions 24 and the free ends of the portions 24 are in theform of arcuate gripping edges 25 which correspond to the curvature ofthe recesses 14 the walls of which they engage to lock the retainersfixedly in position.

In actual operation when the tubes are being positioned in the tubesheet, the retainers are forced into the recesses 14; and when in thisposition they may be driven against the packing with a sledge or thelike. The cars 22 being sharpened will bite into the tube sheet andthere is little likelihood of the re tainers working their way loose.Should at any time the packing become compressed due to normal usage itis merely necessary to again tap the retainers further into the recesses14 against the packing material and there is no necessity for removingthe retainers.

I claim:

1. In combination with a tube sheet having a tube hole and a tubeextending into the tube hole, of a packing disposed in the hole aboutthe tube, a cylindrical metal strip disposed in the hole to compress thepacking, resilient protuberances on the strip and extending exteriorlythereof, and gripping edges on the protuberances corresponding to thecurvature of the hole and adapted to engage the tube sheet at pointsalong the length of the hole to retain the strip fixedly in the hole.

2. In combination with a tube sheet havg a ubehol md a, tubeex endingnth hole, Ef a packing. disposed in the hole about the tube, acylindrical metal strip disposed in the hole to compress the packing, aplurality of i. resilient members integral With the strip, mud grippingedges 011 the resilient members engaging the wall of thehgle to retainthe strip fixedly in the hole, said gripping edges being of a cuateshape to cnrre spond to the curvature o'f'the hOle.

In tes mony whereq 'I ha e sig ed this application. v

EDWARDH-

